Praying for Others: What Jesus and the Apostles Teach Us
Prayer often raises many questions. Does it make a difference? Does God hear me? Why haven’t my prayers been answered? Do I have to pray for people I don’t like? And perhaps most commonly: how do I pray for others, and what should I pray for them?
These are honest, important questions that deserve thoughtful consideration. While there are many aspects of prayer to explore, let’s focus on how to pray effectively for others by examining what Jesus and the apostles prayed.
What Is the True Purpose of Prayer?
Before diving into how to pray for others, we need to understand the fundamental purpose of prayer. Many of us approach prayer as a way to get God to do what we want. We measure prayer’s effectiveness by whether God intervened in the way we thought He should.
Remember those high school prayers? “God, if you help me pass this test, I promise I’ll study next time!”
But the primary purpose of prayer isn’t to get God to do what we want. The primary purpose of prayer is that we would be properly formed. Prayer is about learning to align our lives with God’s will. It’s:
- A practice of listening more than speaking
- A practice of being more than doing
- A practice of surrendering more than controlling
Prayer transforms us. It changes us from the inside out.
Is It Okay to Ask God to Change Circumstances?
Absolutely! James gives the example of Elijah, who “prayed that it would not rain, and for three and a half years it did not rain. Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.”
Jesus tells a parable of a persistent widow who kept asking a judge for justice until he finally granted her request. Jesus concludes by asking, “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night?” (Luke 18:7)
The issue isn’t that God is reluctant to answer prayers. We often quit too quickly. We aren’t persistent enough in our prayers. Our responsibility is to carry each other to Jesus, to pray when others are too weak to pray themselves.
What Did Jesus and the Apostles Pray for Others?
Looking through the New Testament at how Jesus and the apostles prayed for others reveals four main categories:
1. That People Would Know God
Jesus prayed in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”
Paul prayed in Colossians 1:9-10, “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way, bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”
They consistently prayed for spiritual wisdom, for Christ’s love to be cultivated in hearts, and for sanctification.
2. That People Would Love One Another Well
Jesus prayed for unity in John 17:21, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
Paul prayed in Romans 15:5-6, “May God, who gives endurance and encouragement, give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Their prayers focused on unity, reconciliation, and seeing God’s goodness and grace in one another.
3. That People Would Stand Strong
Jesus prayed for Peter in Luke 22:32, “But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Paul prayed in 2 Thessalonians 3:2-3, “And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.”
They prayed for strength, healing, endurance, protection, and joy—that God would strengthen people in suffering and help them stand when they couldn’t stand alone.
4. That People Would Reveal Christ
Even on the cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
Paul asked for prayer in Colossians 4:3-4, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.”
How Should We Pray for Others?
How often do we pray that others would see Christ more clearly or grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus? These eternal matters were the focus of biblical prayers, not just temporal needs.
While it’s good to pray for here-and-now concerns, for God to move mountains and perform miracles, we should also pray for eternal things—that people would be formed more into the image of Jesus.
Prayer is a practice that requires repetition to become comfortable. Many of us feel awkward praying and so we stop. But like any skill, prayer takes practice. We need to keep doing it even when it feels uncomfortable.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to become a prayer warrior who carries others to Jesus. Choose at least one of these three practices:
- Write down one name of someone to pray for daily this week. Pray that they would know God, find unity in the body, stand strong, and reveal Christ.
- Pray with someone today. Instead of saying “I’ll pray for you later,” stop and pray with them right then. It doesn’t need to be long—just a simple prayer asking God to relieve their burden, lift their head, give them strength, or help them see Him.
- Start a rhythm of intercession. Pick a specific time and place to pray for others every day. Build this habit through consistent practice.
Ask yourself:
- Who in my life needs prayer right now that I’ve been saying “I’ll pray for you” to without actually doing it?
- Which of these four biblical prayer focuses (knowing God, loving others, standing strong, revealing Christ) do I neglect most often?
- How might my prayer life change if I focused more on eternal matters than temporal ones?
Keep praying. The persistent widow kept knocking. Jesus continues to intercede. The Spirit prays through us. Now let’s pray not just for ourselves but for one another—that we may love God well, love one another well, stand strong, and reveal Christ to the world.